Connections

How many calls are received through your office weekly from a well intentioned individual or Pastor, pleading for you to help them start a Teen Challenge in their community? Here in our Great Lakes Region, we have rural communities that struggle with addictions at a level equal per capita, of a large city, according to a recent report from USA TODAY. Most of the well meaning individuals and Pastors are motivated to truly help the addicted, but are clueless as to the logistics of the day to day operations and expenses of a residential ministry such as Teen Challenge! Don’t discourage them from the burden and passion they may have to reach the addicted of their community! This is a great opportunity for us, to be involved at the local level, for referrals and even monthly support. One of the discouraging facts we face on the USA Teen Challenge Board, as we endeavor to grow this ministry, is the fact that many of our centers have plateaued numerically, and many centers even in major cities, have empty beds! Let me offer some of the steps taken to bring hope and help to those in rural areas seeking our assistance, they are as follows:

1) Offer them a Directory of Teen Challenge centers just in their region, identifying gender, age, intake and financial requirements. Yes, they can check the website, but a hard copy is still a point of contact they can touch and see. Once they are aware of the fact that centers are within a few hours drive, they will make referrals, and help to fill them! And, not only make referrals, but prepare the potential client for a successful program as they are educated on the Teen Challenge philosophy of proven cure, JESUS!

2) Offer them training that is relevant and relational in the understanding of addictions, and how to help families of a loved one who is addicted! Teen Challenge, USA has partnered with Turning Point, and they have an excellent training called Living Free, now narrated by Ruth Graham. This 6 hour video series is excellent, inexpensive, and gives centers an effective outreach to hurting congregations that are searching for solutions to the growing addiction problems in rural America! This is the beginning of a relationship with a rural congregation, hoping to be a part of the solution!

3) As additional congregations catch the vision and burden of seeing the addicted set free, it may become necessary to organize and set in order a Lifeline Connection ministry, with local leadership. This is the faith-based community taking back their community! It is exciting to see congregations working together for a common cause, helping the addicted through a relationship with Christ and relationships with believers of many congregations! Lifeline Connection is based on a Life-plan of Recovery, that uses 5 components that are; decision, positive peer choice, accountability, boundaries, and consistency. Groups are offered foraddicted clients, families, program graduates, and anyone needing encouragement from the challenges of everyday life. The goal of Lifeline, is to move the client to the spiritual care of a local congregation, but we will see a lot of referrals to Teen Challenge centers as well, as many become aware of the their need and seriousness of their life-controlling addiction!

4) As Lifeline Connection is recognized by the drug courts, and effective ministry is ongoing in the community and county corrections for both men and women, it may be time to organize as a 501(c)3, or officially come under your Teen Challenge’s leadership and administration. This is where we advance from a community-based Lifeline to a program-based Lifeline. Many of the Lifeline’s need to remain as a community and volunteer based ministries, others need to go forward and organize as a 501(c)3 with a full time director. There should always be a working relationship with the Teen Challenge programs within the region. This is an excellent strategy to grow your ministry, with a fraction of the cost of residential homes and facilities, and fully endorsed by Teen Challenge, USA.

5) Should the community continue to press forward with Lifeline Connection and local congregations are using Living Free, and there remains a desire for a residential ministry, with a possibility of funding, and even an available building, start a 5 week only pre-induction center! Is it long enough? Of course not! It’s an immediate safe place, and educates the client of the opportunities for entry in an established Teen Challenge ministry. Should the client choose not to advance to an Induction Teen Challenge center, at least we had a 5 week opportunity of laying a foundation of Salvation as well as a Life-plan of Recovery to someone who may otherwise never darken the door of our long term residential programs.

I trust this is a viable plan, assisting all of us when those calls come for help and the plea goes forth, we need Teen Challenge in our town!